Injector razor with blade adjustment



Aug. 31, 1965 B. J. CRAIG 3,203,091

INJECTOR RAZOR WITH BLADE ADJUSTMENT Filed March 3. 1964 I 33 26 HA INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,203,091 INJECTOR RAZOR WITH BLADE ADJUSTMENT Bunnie J. Craig, 1042 La Presa Drive, Pasadena, Calif. Filed Mar. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 349,101 2 Claims. (Cl. 30-62) This invention relates to safety razors and particularly to adjustable safety razors of the injector type in which new blades are fed onto a blade seat from a blade magazine.

The general object of the invention is to provide an adjustable injector razor which is simple in construction and operation.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel adjustable injector type razor wherein a blade seat and means to clamp a blade on the seat is provided, and wherein the blade seat has a forwardly opening slot which extends under a blade on the blade seat and wherein a guard member mounted to move towards and from the blade seat has a guard portion which is arranged to move in the slot and extends forwardly and backwardly of the cutting edge of the blade and wherein novel means is provided to move the guard member and its guard portion to adjust the exposure of the cutting edge of the blade.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an injector razor having a novel guard member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel blade seat member for use in an injector razor.

An additional object of the invention is to provide novel means for adjusting the guard member of an injector razor.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel adjustable injector type razor wherein the blade seat and/ or the guard member are made of a material so that they may move to a limited extent and are biased to hold a blade securely upon a blade seat while permitting, when desired, the adjustment of the blade exposure and the removal of a blade and substitution of a new blade.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel sub-combination blade seat member and guard member for use in an injector razor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the razor;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the razor;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the rear of the razor;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 44, FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5--5, FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 66, FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevational view showing the guard;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the guard;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view showing the blade seat;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view showing the blade seat;

FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view showing the seat;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the seat;

FIG. 13 is an extended view showing the parts on a reduced scale, prior to assembly;

FIG. 14 is a front view of the dial;

FIG. 15 is a rear view of the dial;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the stop member;

FIG. 17 is an elevation showing the blade magazine; and

FIG. 18 is a side elevation showing the seat and guard connected to form a sub-assembly.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters the 3,203,091 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 invention is shown as embodied in a razor of the injector type which is indicated generally as at 10. The razor as shown includes an elongated body 11 having a front portion 12 and a rear portion 13 thereon.

The rear portion extends forwardly to form a blade clamping member 14 which terminates in a blade clamping portion or tip 15. The tip 15 serves as an upper guard for the cutting edge of a razor blade to be presently described. The rear portion on its inner face includes a groove 16 which is adapted to receive a finger 17 on a blade magazine 18. The upper end of the groove 16 provides a shoulder 19.

The clamping member 14 above the shoulder 19 has a hole 20 which intersects the shoulder. A stop member 21 is secured in the hole 20. As shown the upper portion of the stop member 21 is cylindrical and the lower portion is substantially semi-cylindrical with the front portion 22 of the semi-cylindrical portion slightly rounded and positioned in advance of the shoulder 19 as shown in FIG. 4.

The front portion 12 includes a blade seat 23 having an integral depending cam portion 24 which is at right angles to the blade seat. The front 22 of the stop member is adapted to engage the rear edge of a razor blade 25 mounted on the seat 23.

The depending cam portion 24 has a tapering cam groove 24a which is adapted for engagement with a cam 25a on the finger of the blade magazine 18. From the ends 26 of the blade seat 23 a pair of spaced lugs 27 project upwardly and against these lugs the front end edges of the blade 25 engage. The rear-edge of the blade is engaged by the stop member front portion 22 previously mentioned. There is a central slot 28 at the juncture of the blade seat 23 and the depending portion 24. This slot receives the front portion 22 of the stop member 21 when there is no blade in the razor.

The rear lower end face 28a of the depending cam portion 24 is secured to a portion 29 on the rear member 13 as by gluing or welding as at 29a and may also be secured mechanically as by a central screw 30 which passes through a hole 30a in the depending cam portion 24. Above the portion 29 the rear member has a shoulder 31 to form a slot 32 to provide clearance between the depend- .ing cam portion 24 and the rear portion 13 for a purpose to be later described.

The blade seat 23 is recessed as at 33 between the ends 26 and the lugs 27 to receive a guard member as will be later described. A short forwardly extending tongue 34 on the seat and disposed in line with the recess 28 extends forwardly into the recess 33 and helps to support the central portion of a blade on the blade seat 23. The depending portion 24 has a hole 34a therethrough for a purpose to be later described.

A guard member 35 is arranged in front of the blade seat 23. The guard member includes a transversely extending rigid guard portion 36 which is disposed just below the plane of the blade 25 and extends forwardly and rearwardly of the cutting edge. The guard portion 36 is rounded as at 36a and is longitudinally grooved as at 3612.

The guard member has ends 37 thereon which are rigidly and integrally connected to a depending portion 38. The guard member ends 37 and the guard portion 36 are cut away as at 39 so that the ends 37 may be positioned under the ends 26 of the seat and under the lugs 27 on the ends 26.

The guard member has spaced slots 40 therethrough to allow soap and cut whiskers to pass way from the blade cutting edge.

Instead of mounting the guard member and blade seat members independently the depending portion 38 of the guard member may be secured as by gluing at 40a to the depending cam portion 24 of the blade seat member to form a blade seat and guard sub-assembly as shown in FIGURE 18. This sub-assembly then may be secured as by screws 41 which are arranged at each side of the portion 24 and which pass through holes .2 in the depending cam portion 24 and are threaded into the handle 11 at 42a to secure both the blade seat and the guard member to the handle. If the sub-assembly is used the screw 39 would be omitted.

By moving the guard member 35 with its guard portion 36 backwards and forwards under the blade seat the amount of blade exposure may be varied and consequently the closeness of the shave may be adjusted.

The front member 12, the rear member 13 and the guard member 35 may be made of suitable material such as metal or plastic. If plastic is used it may be of the thermo-plastic or the thermo-set type and may be such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, Plexiglas, Celcon, nylon, styrene, polyester, epoxy or similar material which has suitable characteristics. If metal is used it may be steel, stainless steel, brass or other metal.

The handle, blade seat member and the guard member may be made of the same material or of different materials. It is preferable that one or more of these members he made of a material so that the members may move relatively to each other forward or backward to a limited extent and may be biased to move in one direction.

The rear portion 13 is preferably more or less rigid and the parts are preferably made so that they may cooperate to securely and firmly hold a blade upon the blade seat while allowing the blade guard to be shifted to control the blade edge exposure in a manner to now be described.

In order to move the upper end of the guard member 35 so that the guard portion 36 thereof may be shifted relative to the cutting edge of the blade 25 on the blade seat 23 I provide an actuating member 56 which as shown includes a dial 51. The dial 51 is arranged in a recess 51a in the front face 51b of the rear portion 13. The dial 51 has a shaft 52 extending from one side thereof and the other side of the dial has a central recess 53 which serves as a bearing for a stub shaft 54. The stub shaft is arranged on the inner face of the rear portion 13. The inner end of the recess 53 is closed by a portion 54a. The end of the stub shaft exerts a thrust against the portion 54a to provide a thrust bearing. The shaft is long enough so that the dial is spaced slightly in front of the front face 51b of the rear portion 13. The dial adjacent to the recess 53 has a rearwardly projecting wing 55 thereon. The rear member has an arcuate slot 56 therein and in this slot the wing 55 moves. The ends 57 of the slot limit rotation of the wing and the dial in each direction.

The shaft 52 adjacent to the dial 51 has a diametrically arranged cam rod 59 thereon which extends through the shaft in front of the dial 51. The purpose of this cam rod will be later described. The dial on its front face is undercut as at 66 so that the finger 17 of the blade magazine may clear the dial when the finger 17 is inserted in the groove 16. The shaft 52 passes through the hole 34:: in the depending cam position 24. The hole 34a is of sutlicient size to freely clear the ends of the cam rod 59 on the shaft 52.

The depending guard portion 38 is provided with an integral short sleeve 60' which projects rearwardly. The sleeve which serves as a bearing includes a central aperture 61 which is closed at 62. The aperture 61 is of a size to rotatably receive the end of the shaft 52 on the dial 51. The rear face of the sleeve 60' has a pair of sloping cam faces 63 which are inclined in opposite directions and against these cam faces 63 the ends of the cam rod 59 engage.

The construction is such that when the dial 511 is rotated by movement of the wing 55 the cam rod 59 which engages the cam faces 63 on the depending guard portion 38 will be rotated. The depending portion 38 of the guard member is biased to move rearwardly so that the cam faces 63 are urged toward the cam member 59. When the cam rod 59 is rotated it will, due to its engagement with the cam faces 63, cause the sleeve 69 to move forwardly to rearwardly (depending on the direction of rotation of the wing and consequently will cause the depending guard portion 38 to move forwardly or backwardly to thus shift the guard portion 36 and alter the blade exposure.

In order to hold the dial in a set position and therefore maintain the desired blade exposure I provide the lower half of the peripheral dial 51 with tooth-like serrations 66. A round spring member 67 having an angularly bent end portion 68 is embedded in the depending cam portion 38. The portion 68 prevents displacement or rotation of the spring.

From the bent portion 68 the spring has a portion 69 which passes through a hole 70 in the seat depending portion 24. The hole is larger than the spring to allow the spring to swing. The spring is disposed below the axis of the dial 51. The spring is biased so that the portion 69 is urged towards the axis of the dial and into engagement with one of the peripheral teeth 66 on the dial.

When the dial 51 is rotated the spring will be pushed out of the way of the dial sloping teeth until the dial ceases to turn, whereupon the spring portion 69 will enter the tooth aligned therewith and will hold the dial and the guard member in the desired adjustment.

The rear portion 13 just below the arcuate slot 51 as shown extends at each side at 71 beyond the edge of the seat depending portion 38 to strengthen the rear portion in the vicinity of the slot .51.

1 The operation of the razor described herein is as folows:

Assuming that there is a blade in the razor which has been used and the operator wishes to insert a fresh blade, the finger 17 on the blade magazine is inserted into the groove 16 and pushed forward. The cam 25a will engage in the slot 24a in the depending cam portion 24 and will move the depending portion 24 to the left in FIG. 1 so that the distance between the lugs 27 and the stop member front portion 22 will be slightly increased. The blade magazine is then operated to advance a blade therefrom and the forward end of the advancing blade will push forward the old blade as it advances. When the new blade is fully seated, the magazine finger 17 will be withdrawn and the blade exchange will be complete.

The operation of the adjustable feature of the razor is as follows: Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, wherein the guard member 35 is in its central position so that the guard portion 36 is also in its intermediate position. When the wing 55 is moved clockwise in FIG. 3, the cam rod 59 on the shaft 52 will be rotated and will force the cam faces 63 to the left in FIG. 4 thus moving the guard member 35 forwardly to cause the guard portion 36 to advance to the left in FIG. 4 to lessen the exposure of the blade cutting edge. When the dial is turned the spring portion 69 will ride up and down the teeth 66 on the dial permitting the dial to turn. When the dial is stationary the spring will hold the dial in its set position.

From the intermediate position of FIG. 4 if the dial 551 is rotated anti-clockwise it will increase the blade exposure and thus a closer shave will be secured.

The movement of the blade seat 23 by the cam 25a on the blade magazine finger is slight and in its movement the front end of the seat does not move far enough to strike the rear edge of the guard portion 36 so that the blade adjustment is not disturbed when a new blade is substituted for a used blade.

The arrangement is such that the guard member 35 is disposed under the blade 25 and the rear edge of the guard portion 36 is in the rear of the cutting edge of the blade.

The long axis about which the guard member 35 swings is at approximately 72 (see FIG. 8) above and adjacent to the holes 42 and the arrangement is such that as the guard portion 36 moves bodily forwardly it also moves substantially parallel to the blade seat and conversely when the guard member moves rearwardly the guard portion 36 also moves substantially parallel to the blade seat.

The long springing action under which the guard portion 36 moved makes for an accurate and well controlled adjustment for the blade exposure.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a razor, a body including a handle having a blade held in shaving position thereon, and a guard member arranged below the blade, said guard member integral depending portion being made of a material having resilient so that the upper portion thereof may swing with the guard member backwardly and forwardly to a limited extent, said guard member integral depending portion due to the resiliency of the material from which it is made being biased to move in one direction, said guard member including a guard portion which is mounted to move forwardly and backwardly under the blade to alter the exposure of the cutting edge of the blade, and manual means including mating cam members on the body and on the depending portion of the guard member and 0perable to move the guard member, said manual means including a dial, a shaft on said dial, said guard member depending portion having a cylindrical aperture therein, said aperture serving as a bearing for said shaft, a stub shaft on the inner face of the rear portion, said dial having a central recess therein serving as a bearing receiving said stub shaft, said dial having an end Wall thereon closing said central recess, the stub shaft engaging said end wall in thrust bearing relationship, a cam member associated with the bearing on said guard member depending portion, an operating wing on said dial, a slot in said body through which said Wing extends, a cam member on the shaft which is on the dial and engaging said first cam member, said cam members being operable to move the depending portion of the guard member to alter the blade exposure when the dial is rotated.

2. In a razor, a body including a blade seat and having a forwardly projecting blade clamping member adapted to clamp a blade in shaving position upon the blade seat, a blade on said blade seat, said blade seat having an integral depending cam portion thereon, means to integrally unite the lower end of said depending cam portion and said body at a location remote from said blade seat, said cam portion and said body including parts spaced apart to form a slot for the reception of a finger on a blade magazine, said blade seat integral depending cam portion being constructed from a material having resilient characteristics so that its upper end can be moved backwardly and forwardly to a limited extent, said blade seat depending portion being biased due to the resiliency of the material from which it is made; so that it is normally urged towards the clamping member to clamp a blade on the blade seat, said blade seat having spaced lugs thereon adapted to be engaged by the sharpened edge of the blade on the blade seat, said clamping member including a part adapted, when the clamping member is in clamping position, to urge the blade into engagement with the spaced lugs, a guard member arranged below the blade seat and having an integral depending portion integrally connected at its lower end to the body at a location below and remote from the forwardly projecting blade clamping member and from the blade seat, said guard member integral depending portion being constructed from a material having resilient characteristics so that it may move forwardly and backwardly to a limited extent, said guard member including a guard portion which is free from attachment to the blade seat, said guard portion being arranged to move forwardly and backwardly under the blade on the blade seat to alter the exposure of the cutting edge of the blade, said guard member depending portion being biased due to the resiliency of the material from which it is made to move in one direction, and manual means operable to move the guard member against the bias of its depending portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,799,926 7/57 Shaylor 30-63 3,095,645 7/63 Stahl 3063 2,111,756 11/63 Kruger et al 30-63 3,128,551 4/64 Crown 3063 References Citedby the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,664 6/33 Grath. 2,204,827 6/40 Sheehan. 2,362,765 11/44 Mills. 2,661,533 12/53 Shnitzler. 3,080,651 3/63 La Cas.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner. 

1. IN A RAZOR, A BODY INCLUDING A HANDLE HAVING A BLADE HELD IN SHAVING POSITION THEREON, AND A GUARD MEMBER ARRANGED BELOW THE BLADE, SAID GUARD MEMBER INTEGRAL DEPENDING PORTION BEING MADE OF A MATERIAL HAVING RESILIENT SO THAT THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF MAY SWING WITH THE GUARD MEMBER BACKWARDLY AND FORWARDLY TO A LIMIT EXTENT, SAID GUARD MEMBER INTEGRAL DEPENDING PORTION DUE TO THE RESILIENCY OF THE MATERIAL FROM WHICH IT IS MADE BEING BIASED TO MOVE IN ONE DIRECTION, SAID GUARD MEMBER INCLUDING A GUARD PORTION WHICH IS MOUNTED TO MOVE FORWARDLY AND BACKWARDLY UNDER THE BLADE TO ALTER THE EXPOSURE OF THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE BLADE, AND MANUAL MEANS INCLUDING MATING CAM MEMBERS ON THE BODY AND ON THE DEPENDING PORTION OF THE GUARD MEMBER AND OPERABLE TO MOVE THE GUARD MEMBER, SAID MANUAL MEANS INCLUDING A DIAL, A SHAFT ON SAID DIAL, SAID GUARD MEMBER DEPENDING PORTION HAVING A CYLINDRICAL APERTURE THEREIN, SAID APERTURE SERVING AS A BEARING FOR SAID SHAFT, A STUB SHAFT ON THE INNER FACE OF THE REAR PORTION, SAID DIAL HAVING A CENTRAL RECESS THEREIN SERVING AS A BEARING RECEIVING SAID STUB SHAFT, SAID DIAL HAVING AN END WALL THEREON CLOSING SAID CENTRAL RECESS, THE STUB SHAFT ENGAGING SAID END WALL IN THRUST BEARING RELATIONSHIP, A CAM MEMBER ASSOCCIATED WITH THE BEARING ON SAID GUARD MEMBER DEPENDING PORTION, AN OPERATING WING ON SAID DIAL, A SLOT IN SAID BODY THROUGH WHICH SAID WING EXTENDS, A CAM MEMBER ON THE SHAFT WHICH IS ON THE DIAL AND ENGAGING SAID FIRST CAM MEMBER, SAID CAM MEMBERS BEING OPERABLE TO MOVE THE DEPENDING PORTION OF THE GUARD MEMBER TO ALTER THE BLADE EXPOSURE WHEN THE DIAL IS ROTATED. 